“We want to bridge the gap of the Special Education department in the Smithtown ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ School District with the SCSD community.”
Smithtown West FAST Program Work Study Coordinator, Jillian Otero, and Program Director, Lisa Felice, have been hard at work making the 2024-25 school year the best year to date for the Smithtown West FAST program.
From coffee runs and pop up shops, to the program’s end of the year play and fourth annual end of the year fundraiser, students are becoming empowered and building meaningful connections within the community.
More than 250 people recently attended the “Emerald City” fundraiser, in which proceeds go directly to the students in order to enhance the Business Enterprise, a program that provides students with an opportunity to learn more about the world of work, build their independence and confidence and help to learn and their important role in their own community. Volunteers from the Smithtown High School West soccer team and business clubs helped the event run smoothly.
“Our hopes are to build an independent living apartment at our school so learn daily life skills,” Otero said. “I am so proud of the FAST team. The kids emailed, called, wrote letters and hit the pavement to get these donations! The outpouring of love and support from our community has been tremendous.”
The event also supported the Chase Turano memorial scholarship, honoring a beloved West student. In addition, $500 was donated to the Jacque LaPrarie foundation.
Otero adds that four sensory chairs were gifted to the middle school FAMP and RISE programs, because the “reach of our impact should go to all Smithtown special education families.”
The year was capped off by the program’s annual end of the year production, "The Wizards of West," a mashup of "The Wizard of Oz" and Wicked."
The school program is a remarkable initiative that fosters inclusion and understanding through compassionate education and collaborative engagement.
